Academic Coaching at Portage Learning

Our Student Success team thrives on your students’ success!

I don’t want you to think I’m dumb.”

It was the student’s first class in America, and he was overwhelmed. He had only recently emigrated from Africa. He was working in a hospital while taking a course. And the adjustment had been too much for him. So that’s the message he sent to Kathryn Watt, a Student Success Coach at Portage Learning.

“I don’t want you to think I’m dumb.”

“It was heartbreaking,” Kathryn remembered. “He had a lot going on at once. I wanted to encourage him and let him know he could do this.”

She did. And he did. Kathryn not only shared compassion and support, but she also gave him practical tools and followed up with him weekly. The young man would eventually pass his course and receive his transcript.

 That’s just one example among many of our students who might need a lift along the educational journey. And those are the stories that lift the spirits of our Student Success team members.

“We’re committed to developing a relational partnership with each student,” said Debbie Michalik, who oversees the team as Senior Director of Student Services. “We want them to know they are individuals to us. They are not just another number.”

To that end, Student Success Coordinator Ellen Crefeld shared the story of another young man she connects with weekly. He’s taking five courses and needs to complete them by the summer.

“He really likes the accountability and extra support,” Ellen noted. “I try to encourage him and keep him motivated.”

Ironically, it’s our team’s attention to transformation, not transaction, that’s increased the number of partner institutions that appreciate how we assist their students.

“Schools trust their students to enter our flexible, asynchronous model of learning, and we want them to know they can trust us to help their students move along through their program,” Debbie pointed out.

The three members of our Student Success team carrying out that frontline service are:

•Amy Sullivan, Associate Director of Student Success. She’s been with Portage Learning for eight years.

•Kathryn Watt, a Student Success Coach who has been with Portage Learning for three and a half years

•And Ellen Crefeld, a Student Success Coordinator who has been in that role for a year and a half.

Each interacts with about 60-75 students at any given time, entering their lives when they complete 30 percent of their coursework. If staff members notice a grade of C- or lower, they spring into action. It starts with a survey to determine if a student wants coaching. If that’s the case, then they share time management tips, study skills, help with grade calculations, progress reports and, in many ways, become an accountability partner.

“I really enjoy getting to build relationships with students,” Ellen explained. “We play a parental role in some ways. I love to hear their stories, their life circumstances, and learn more about them. When I can find out their strengths and learning styles, I have a better chance of helping them.”

Amy agreed: “We’re here to walk through their journey with them. We’re not tutors, but we help in any way we can.”

In many cases, she pointed out, students are simply searching for someone who believes in them. “They may not have any other encouragement in their lives. They need a reassuring voice to say, ‘you can do this.’ ”

Kathryn looked over to Amy and nodded.

“Our goal is pretty simple: We’re here to help students become successful.”

Providing inspiration and equipping them with helpful tools not only benefits students, but the colleges and universities our team serves. “It’s going to lead to retention when students enter their programs,” Amy noted.

Portage Learning is now in the process of adding another coach to expand our services even wider.

“In our next phase, we want to be a touchpoint at the very beginning of a student’s educational journey,” Debbie emphasized. “Students really are more successful if they’re assigned a coach.”

And so are the programs they enter.

(To learn more about our Student Success team, email studentsuccess@portagelearning.edu.)